Opposition leader to return

Former prime minister and leader of the northern opposition party Umma, Sadiq al-Mahdi, said he is now able to return to Khartoum, though it was up to the party to decide when that should be. In a report by the Sudanese newspaper ‘Al-Ra’y al-Amm’ on 12 July Sadiq al-Mahdi said he had “no qualms” about returning. He said he had been delayed in returning to Sudan because of his efforts to “remove obstacles hindering a comprehensive political solution and to rally regional and international support.” He said relations between Egypt and Sudan should be discussed in the peace talks, and special consideration should be given to relations with neighbouring countries. Sadiq al-Mahdi and the northern opposition parties were persuaded to join comprehensive political talks by Eygpt, under a joint Egypt-Libya initiative. The Umma party has traditional ties with Egypt which date back to independence.